What would you do if your Dad never came back home?
Dear Sasha Obama,
My name is Melanny Martinez. I am thirteen years old and I am currently in the seventh grade at a Catholic private school in Texas. I know you go to private school too and you must understand how hard they can be sometimes. I wanted to write you a letter because I believe you could understand what I am going through. This might be a little odd and I don’t know if you will ever get to read this, but I thought it was worth a try.
My dad was my hero. He was my best friend. He has always wanted the best for me. One of the saddest days of my life was April 3, 2014. It was my dad’s 50th birthday, but instead of us celebrating he was deported.
I was so sad that he was gone because he was one of the best fathers anybody could have. But he taught me to never give up. So I told my mom “the war hasn’t ended, it’s just the beginning.” She was getting ready to quit fighting for him. So then, I told my dad on the phone that I was going to go back for him, that he wasn’t coming back alone. I promised him that we were going to go get him and not be separated again.
I told him the fight hasn’t ended until God tells us. God gave us a voice and now it’s time to use it because we have rights to be with the ones we love and there is no law that provides us to stay away from our family.
I was so scared that my mom was gonna give up, that is why I told my dad that I was going to bring him back home. But my mom is such a strong woman and now we are outside of your house asking your dad to please understand that I only want my family back. Can you let him know we’re out here and ask him to help?
My mom is so worried about me that she decided to stop eating and go on a hunger strike to show everybody what happened to our family. My house is empty without him. I know I could have written this letter to your dad and ask him to help me. But I wanted to write it to you, because you are a daughter too and I think you love your dad as much as I love mine. Please tell your dad to help me get my dad back.
Sincerely,
Melanny Martinez
Melanny Martinez was born in Texas. Her father was deported just this month. She and her mother travelled with Alianza Mexicana to to the White House in an effort to bring her father home and urge an end to deportations and family separation. Sign the Petition for Melanny’s father and other Texas hunger strikers here.